Savage Henry – The Onion meets Rolling Stone – February 18, 2010

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Kevin L, Hoover

Eye Editor

HUMBOLDT – Humboldt’s burgeoning print media scene is about to become… bourgeoninger with the arrival of Savage Henry, a new monthly zine. According to an ad rate sheet being circulated to local businesses, the mag aims for a sweet spot of humor and irreverent journalism – “The Onion meets Rolling Stone but focused on our community.”

Savage Henry’s creators know what they’re in for in terms of making a print publication happen. They are: soon-to-be-former Times-Standard reporter Chris Durant, Monica Durant (Chris’s wife), former T-S and Eye writers Sarah Godlin and Josh Duke. According to the NCJ Blogthing, Chris Durant realizes decision to start a print publication might be “one of the dumbest sounding business decisions ever,” possibly because of the migration of readers to blogs and such.

But SH might turn the tables on the bloviating bloggers, hoisting them on their own hubris. According to the NCJ’s Ryan Burns, the magazine will put a cash bounty on the identities of the Faceless Class – self-congratulating ideologues like Heraldo and the Humboldt Mirror.

How funny will all those demeaning Photoshops of local individuals be once their authors are outed? Gee, it seemed like a good idea at the time. How many relationships will frizzle-fry when the veil is lifted. “That was you?!?” And let’s see if these buffoons carry on with ruthless attacks on people trying to accomplish things in the real world once there’s a name on it.

Not that SH will be shrinking violets when it comes to comment. They promise to “rub people the wrong way,” while creating a publication about which folks will tell their friends, “You’ve got to read this.” Golly, all this and attribution, too. It can be done, you know.

The particulars are that Savage Henry (named after a heroin addict in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) will be a monthly, 8 1/2 x 11 with glossy color front and back and newsprint inside for your readlicious pleasure. It’ll start modest, but with tons of good ideas they couldn’t implement anywhere else, SH will find its audience, mature and expand.

Stand by for updates. Meanwhile, best of luck to the Savage Henry staff for their guts and going against the cyber-grain.